The invention relates to aliphatic compounds containing isocyanato and hydroxyl moieties and a method of producing such compounds from corresponding hydroxy-substituted aliphatic compounds.
Only one example of an aliphatic compound containing both hydroxy and isocyanato moieties is known in the literature. Hydroxy methyl isocyanate disclosed by Hoover et al., J. Org. Chem., 28, 1825 (1963) was prepared by reacting isocyanic acid with formaldehyde. The compound polymerized explosively at temperatures above 0.degree. C. Attempts by others to produce hydroxy ethyl isocyanate and other higher molecular weight isocyanato alkanols by reacting sodium cyanate with a halo-substitued alkanol have not been successful.